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NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Maybe they were just trying to convince themselves the sky isn’t falling. Or maybe they still believe they can turn things around.

But there wasn’t any panic in the Steelers locker room following Thursday night’s latest come-from-ahead loss, 26-23, to the Tennessee Titans at LP Stadium.

Following their latest road debacle, the Steelers were full of bluster about how they were going to turn things around.

“Ten games from now, we’re going to be laughing, and everybody is going to forget about this,” said linebacker Larry Foote.

“If this is the worst that can happen, we’ll be all right,” said offensive tackle Max Starks. “The adversity is here. As long as we overcome it, it’ll make us a better team in the end.”

Or maybe not.

Now 2-3, including an 0-3 record on the road, the Steelers look a lot closer to the 2009 team that lost five consecutive games down the stretch to miss the playoffs, than it does the 2005 team that won its final four games after a threegame losing streak to get into the playoffs and win the Super Bowl.

With all three losses having come to AFC opponents, the Steelers have made things awfully difficult on themselves a month and a half into the season.

“We (don’t) have a lot of room for error now,” admitted Starks. “I’ve been through this. I’ve been here a long time, been through a lot worse situations at more critical points of the season. It’s still early, and that’s one of the biggest things we have on our side. There’s still some time, but we have to be vigilant. We can’t be careless with that time.”

Fixing the problems that have plagued the Steelers might be a different issue.

First, they have to narrow down exactly what is wrong.

“Man, if I knew how to fix it, it would already be fixed,” said nose tackle Casey Hampton. “The biggest thing is that we’ve just got to get back to playing football the way we know how.”

The common denominator in the three road losses has been an inability for the defense to hold a fourth quarter lead.

On Thursday night, the Steelers turned a 16-10 halftime deficit into a 23-16 lead midway through the fourth quarter. They then allowed the Titans (2-4) to march 80 yards on 11 plays to score on a five-yard pass from Matt Hasselbeck to Kenny Britt, who was working against Ike Taylor.

In fact, the Titans picked on Taylor throughout the game, and he allowed eight completions on 13 pass attempts for 126 yards and a touchdown. He also was called for three penalties – one was declined. The biggest Taylor penalty was a defensive hold on third down that allowed the Titans to go for the game-tying touchdown rather than a field goal.

“We’re going to see what we’re made of,” said Foote. “We’re dealing with some adversity right now, 2-3, everybody has written us off – even before the season, so nothing has changed.

“All of the answers are in this locker room to get this thing turned around.”

But the solutions are dwindling because of a number of injuries.

While the Steelers expect linebacker LaMarr Woodley – who missed Thursday’s game with a hamstring injury – back when they travel to Cincinnati Oct. 21, strong safety Troy Polamalu is expected to miss at least the next two games with a calf injury.

And the Steelers had a rash of injuries against the Titans, losing running backs Rashard Mendenhall (Achilles’ tendon) and Isaac Redman (ankle), and offensive linemen Maurkice Pouncey (MCL sprain) and Marcus Gilbert (ankle).

Pouncey’s injury is considered the most serious at this point and could sideline him for at least the game at Cincinnati.

Regardless of who lines up in Cincinnati, the Steelers need their road nightmares to end.

“It’s not a dream – it’s reality,” said safety Ryan Clark. “You’ve just got to make stops, period.”

Odds and end zones

The Steelers released tight end Wes Saunders Friday. Saunders had been suspended the first four games of the season for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. … Redman’s 105 yards receiving marked the first 100-yard receiving game for a Steelers running back since Frenchy Fuqua did in against Cleveland in 1970.

I'll tell you what, and this is a reflection of the kind of team we have this year. If Redman sucked it up for the team and went back out there, chances are much better that we salt the game away and come up with the W. (I found it humorous how in Bouchette's report card for the game, every area of the team got a D basically. When if we just get 10 more yards, getting Suisham in range, we win that game.)

But back to Redman. We all saw him testing his leg... he looked decent enough. With a ten day rest, he should have sucked it up and went back in the game. He didn't. Instead, he sat back, and we all watched this guy Barron Batch (who BTW, I don't know why you clowns were touting this guy as anything but a plucky little FA-type guy) help us to a L. Think of the dedication of guys like Aaron Smith, back in our SB years. These guys would go out there with all sorts of problems. They didn't want to leave the field!

Now, we have guys like Redman and Dwyer, who are quite fine with leaving the field, cuz they're tired, they're dinged, etc.

Sorry, but too many injuries to overcome this year.
If we have a healthy team, we will remain competitive.
Ben can't do this by himself I'm afraid.
Right now him and Heath are the only players worth a dam right now.
I'm not expecting much for the rest of the year, and I'm one of the biggest Steeler diehards around.
We need some new blood infused and hopefully we only have one off year like the past.
RB-too many injuries and not enough talent
OL-decimated by injuries and no real leaders
DL-aging vets getting starts when we drafted two 1st rounders. Ziggy Hood is not cutting it right now
LB-no depth behind the starters and very inconsistent
CB's-thought it was scheme, but neither CB can play man either
S-Besides an aging Clark and an injured Troy the cupboard is bare

The reaction is a culmination of emotions from a sound pounding in Denver, a home beat down of nfl whipping post jets, a narrow escape at home against the eagles, and two give a ways against bottom feeders. This looks like one of the worst teams in thirty years.

Either way.........Won't stop me from cheering them on like they just won the SB - but damn!!!!! Can't show em til they grow em!

I'll tell you what, and this is a reflection of the kind of team we have this year. If Redman sucked it up for the team and went back out there, chances are much better that we salt the game away and come up with the W. (I found it humorous how in Bouchette's report card for the game, every area of the team got a D basically. When if we just get 10 more yards, getting Suisham in range, we win that game.)

But back to Redman. We all saw him testing his leg... he looked decent enough. With a ten day rest, he should have sucked it up and went back in the game. He didn't. Instead, he sat back, and we all watched this guy Barron Batch (who BTW, I don't know why you clowns were touting this guy as anything but a plucky little FA-type guy) help us to a L. Think of the dedication of guys like Aaron Smith, back in our SB years. These guys would go out there with all sorts of problems. They didn't want to leave the field!

Now, we have guys like Redman and Dwyer, who are quite fine with leaving the field, cuz they're tired, they're dinged, etc.

Slap...I wrote something similar right after the loss & got blasted (apparently I'm an apologist & only see silver-linings). But like you I saw a lot of factors that led to the loss & would prefer for this team to work out the kinks now & be playing good football at the end of the season. Given how things have gone for the past few SB winners lately, that seems to be a pattern as the "dominant" teams haven't walked away with the hardware. The coaches will get this thing headed in the right direction...

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust & sweat & blood...

Yeah that hit he took was pretty ugly, I'm surprised it wasn't worse - that said Redman played a helluva game.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust & sweat & blood...